How to get rid of large amounts of weeds in the yard?

Question

I have recently just moved into a beautiful house, the only thing bad about it is the yard!! half the grass is dead, the other half is covered in weeds. I am renting this place so I do not want to put a lot of money into the yard. Is there any homemade weed killers or inexpensive ideas?? Thanks!

Answer 1

Don't use RoundUp if you want to preserve the grass/turf that is there, use a product like WeedBGone (concentrate).  I use to use it very effectively and now use a product called 2,4 D which is what WeedBGone is made of.  

How to apply the liquid concentrate:  use a hose end sprayer attached to your garden hose.  For $10 you can buy an Ortho Dial n Spray hose end sprayer.  I bought a new one at Walmart a few weeks ago for less than $10 to replace the one I've used for 10 years.  

Fill the canister, set the dial to the amount listed in the instruction book of the hose end sprayer or the back of the bottle.

This is the most effective and economical way to control your weeds.  It's easy to use, too.  I highly recommend this method.  

Other uses for the hose end sprayer is to apply pesticides or other herbicides (like roundup).

Answer 2

Can you mow down those weeds??  Neighbor down the road started doing that and irrigates them as there are trees growing he wanted to save.  He mows the weeds every week and they look fine......neat green, but still weeds.  

If the weeds are too tall to mow, then they have to be cut down or chopped down.  There's probably a "million" years worth of weed seed now in the soil so growing anything will be a constant challenge, not something for the nongardener.  

Personally if I didn't have the money to fix it and the landlord is tired of fixing it up for ungrateful tenants, just keep the weeds cut down to lawn heights.  The grass will either come back or that section will turn to weeds too.  

Other thought is to make yourself a nice outdoor patio, paved with salvaged broken concrete, such as from sidewalk or driveway demolition.......if you can find them and haul them.  Use the area around the "patio" to plant in whatever you can afford........trees, shrubs and flowers.  Watch for plant sales such as end of season sales and buy "permanent" type plants, not annual flowering plants that die with the first frost.  

If you can't find the concrete, used gravel, that is gravel people are giving away if you haul it for them, makes a nice patio if you put a landscape barrier fabric underneath.

Answer 3

Well depends what State you live at then also where the weeds are. Sometimes you can use the over the counter Round-up that kills in 24 hours. If not the go to some vendors in the area such as.

Ace or True Value Hardware,Local Nusery Garden Center. Then contact the clerk that maybe a Certifed Nusery Gardener if your state may have a program like that.

Like here in Cailifornia. The Nuserys have the 49 er brands products and then also have Certifed Gardener Programs these are Professional that have more Knowledge then other clerks in a Garden Center for the customers..

The knowledge range from plants, weeds.what to treat them with only. That range from organics to possible spsrays the home owner or in your case the Renter can use and low cost.

So you may also check with the local Department of Aguculture Agency under the White pages. That may have County Ag. Commissioner from your State of Univerisity that can also offer Free Advise for you. So good Luck and happy

Weed Lush Green Yard Control Conserve on Water also.

A Licensed Landscape Contractor in Northern Ca oveer 30 years Experanced.